A Narnian in Love
by Isabella Sparrow
Summary: Lucy Pevensie is dead, and now her granddaughter must make the journey to Narnia to tell Mr. Tumnus. Based solely on the LWW movie and some things were tweaked a little bit to match my idea. This is an AU, but NOT a Mary-Sue!
1. What Led me to Narnia and to Tumnus

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Narnia or any of its inhabitants, and I don't own the Pevensie children either. The only characters in this story that I own are Charlotte and her parents.

Chapter 1: What led me to Narnia…and to Tumnus"

My name is Charlotte Lucille Smythe, and I am now officially alone in this world. My mother, Patricia, died during childbirth and my father, Kenneth, abandoned me after she died. My grandmother, Lucy, felt bad about what her son had done, so she took her granddaughter in. She and her 3 siblings raised me the same way they raised their own children. But all good things must come to an end. Uncle Edmund died when I was 7, and Aunt Susan followed him two years later. Uncle Peter had a stroke when I was 15, and I saw the only man I'd ever regarded as a father figure slowly slip away. At least Grandma Lucy stuck around to see me graduate in Oxford. So here I am, a twenty-two-year-old girl Brit who is officially alone. Grandma Lu (I always called her that) left everything she owned to me, including her house. Uncle Peter had inherited it from a Professor Diggory many years ago and left it to Grandma Lu when he died, who left it to me. Just then, when I was remembering all this, I remembered Grandma Lu's old saying: "Never let the past keep you from enjoying the present." It was almost as if she was whispering it directly in my ear. So I decided to get up and begin exploring my grandmother's room. It was hard to go through her possessions because it felt like I was grave robbing. Then something under the bed caught my eye. It was a box of scarves that Grandma Lu had knitted. Anytime you saw Grandma Lu, she was knitting up a storm. Written on the box was the strangest message: "To: Mr. Tumnus". I grew up hearing stories about Narnia and Mr. Tumnus, but I never believed that my great-uncles, great-aunt, and my grandmother were rulers of such a country. Anyway, I began looking through the box, and it was filled with beautiful, elaborate scarves. I then stumbled upon an envelope that had my name on it. It was a letter from Grandma Lu. In the letter, Grandma asked me to deliver the news of her death and the box of scarves to her beloved faun friend. I then noticed another envelope in the box, but the letter said that that letter was for Mr. Tumnus. She also asked me to watch over the faun, because she was worried what he might do if left alone.  
"How do I get to Narnia?" I stupidly asked myself, but the letter answered my question. It said to "just trust your heart and go through the wardrobe in your room." _'Wow,'_ I thought, _'the entrance to Narnia has been right in front of me the entire time.'_ I then glanced at the clock and it said that it was 10 o'clock in the morning.

"Well, no time like the present." I said to the room as I picked up the box and headed to my room to prepare for the journey. I began by packing my over-sized purse with my jacket, just in case it was winter in Narnia, and then folded all of Tumnus's scarves neatly. Then came the task of clearing a path to Narnia. 'I have too many clothes', I thought as I cleared the way. Once that was done, I picked up my purse and the box and was about to step into the wardrobe when it hit me. '_How would I recognize Tumnus?_' Grandma Lu had described him many times before. She always said that he had chestnut eyes, curly brown hair and fur, and he might be carrying an umbrella. She also said that if it were cold, he would be wearing a red scarf. I stood there, remembering her words and thinking about how I should go about telling Tumnus of his dearest friend's passing. When I reached the back of the wardrobe, I noticed that my clothes had turned into the branches of pine trees. I then looked at the floor and saw patches of snow. That's when I stopped, took out my jacket, and put it on. The cold wind was already making me shiver. I walked on through for about another few seconds when I saw a lamppost just sitting there in the middle of the woods. It seemed strange to see a lamppost that wasn't on a street corner. While I was pondering the situation, I heard a noise from somewhere in the woods, and it sounded like it was coming closer. I was starting to get scared. I'd never really been in the woods before. Then, all of a sudden, I saw a mysterious figure approaching at a hurried pace. I was so frightened that I screamed, dropped my purse and the box, and fainted right there in the snow. However, before I closed my eyes, I saw someone in a red scarf coming towards me. That's when I knew that I had found my grandmother's dearest friend. When I awoke, I was in a cave lying on a bed. '_This must be his house_,' I thought, '_but how did I get here? The last thing I remember is seeing his scarf._' I tried to get up, but my ankle started throbbing. I yelped from the pain and he came running, more like trotting, to my side.

"Are you all right?" he asked, with a worried tone to his voice.

"Yes, it's just my ankle." I answered, pointing at the source of the pain.

"Here. Let me take a look." He calmly said as he removed my shoe and sock and began examining my foot. His touch was so gentle. It was almost like he had been a doctor at some point in time.

"Are you Tumnus? Lucy's Tumnus?"

"Why, yes. Yes, I am," he said with a smile. I then understood why he had been so close to my late grandmother's heart. "How do you know Lucy?"

"Lucy's a relative of mine. I had a box with me when I came from Spare 'Oom. Do you know where it is?"

"After you fainted, your foot hit a rock. I brought you here first, than went back for your things." He was so considerate, so sweet. I could see why Grandma became friends with him.

"Well, could you bring me the box, please?"

"Of course, Daughter of Eve," he said politely as he left the room. It took me a minute to remember why he had called me that. He then returned with the box and set it down in my lap. As he turned to leave, I touched his arm and he turned to face me.

"Please stay. I have some things for you. They're from Lucy."

"All right, then, Daughter of Eve, if you insist." He sat down on the end of the bed with an expectant look in his eyes.

"First things first, call me Charlotte. It is my name, of course. Secondly, thanks for bringing me here and getting me the box."

"You're welcome, Dau-Charlotte."

"Thirdly, before I give you the contents of this box, there's something I should tell you, and I will perfectly understand if you get upset. Just remember that I'm here for you."

"Okay, then." He still had a grin on his face, but I could tell that he was confused. I just stared at him for a minute, so I would always remember him like this. Before his world fell apart.

"All right, when I said that Lucy was a relative of mine, that was true. She was my grandmother."

"That's great, but what do you mean by 'was'?" I could see the grin fade as confusion overtook the joy he had had inside of him.

"Well, when I say 'was', I mean that…ummm…I don't know how to tell you this, but…Lucy died three weeks ago." As soon as the word 'died' escaped my lips, I saw tears form in those sweet eyes. That's when I did something that nobody had done for me: I comforted him.


	2. Tumnus's Reaction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Narnia or any of its inhabitants, and I don't own the Pevensie children either. The only characters in this story that I own are Charlotte and her parents.

Chapter 2: Tumnus's Reaction

Tumnus's POV

'_I feel empty. I don't know what to do with my life now that Lucy is gone. She was the thing that kept me going these last 10 years. I'm 250 years old and completely alone. What and I going to do?_' In gaining sight of all the hopelessness around me, I did what any faun would do. I broke down and began to cry. The next thing I know, Charlotte had her arms around my waist and was offering me her shoulder to cry on. I gratefully laid my head down and cried for what seemed like hours. I don't know how I sat there with her arms holding him close. What I do know is that all the pain from when Lucy left Narnia became fresh in my mind once again, and all I could do was cry.

Charlotte's POV

After a while, I noticed that Tumnus had cried himself to sleep. '_Poor dear_', I thought, '_he must be miserable, alone, and confused._' Then, ever so gently, I laid him out on the bed, covered him up with the blanket, and lay down next to him while propped up on one elbow. As I looked at his face, his expression puzzled me. He seemed to be smiling, but it was a sad smile. He had also begun to cry again. I never knew a person, or a faun, who could cry in their sleep. As I got up to get a handkerchief from my purse, I suddenly realized what Tumnus was dreaming about. '_He must dreaming about Grandma Lu, so those must be tears of joy._' I limped to my purse and back without making a sound so I wouldn't wake him for what seemed like a peaceful dream. I then proceeded to turn Tumnus towards me so I could dry his tear-stained cheeks. While I was doing that, I heard him mumbling in his sleep. When I leaned closer, all I heard was, "…some sort of beardless dwarf?" and I almost laughed because I realized what he was dreaming about. He was dreaming about the day he met my grandmother, for I heard the story many times. I turned Tumnus back to his original position, set the handkerchief by his head, settled back into the bed, put my arm around his waist, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Tumnus's POV

My dreams have been the same since that fateful day at the lamppost. I relive the same scenario over and over in my mind every night. When I woke up, I saw Charlotte's arm around my waist and her hand was stroking the fur on my stomach. I figured that she was okay and then I spotted something near my head, it was a handkerchief. I guess that I'd been crying in my sleep and Charlotte went and got it for me. Upon closer inspection, I remembered the importance of this handkerchief. It was the same handkerchief Lucy had given to me in my dream, and I now remember giving it back to her when she became a queen. As I lay there, holding the handkerchief, my thoughts turned to Charlotte. '_Why was she being so nice to me? Shouldn't she be mad at me for scaring her by the lamppost, hence causing her injury?_' Then I turned towards her face. She looked so much like Lucy, it was almost uncanny the resemblance between them. Then my eyes focused on the box, which had fallen over in all the commotion. An envelope with my name on it had fallen out and was about 6 inches from my hand. I sat up to grab it, and just stared at it in amazement. It was a letter from Lucy.

Charlotte's POV

I heard him move, but I hoped that he wouldn't leave. I felt safe with him around, and his cozy cave felt more like home than my big, empty house. I then realized why Grandma Lu asked me to come to Narnia. '_It wasn't to deliver scarves or news of her passing, but to do something more important. She knew that I would be left alone and Tumnus would've already been alone for quite some time. She must've sent me here so neither of us would have to be alone. So neither of us would become bitter and mean, I came here to save him, and to save myself._'

Tumnus's POV

Upon opening the letter, I found but one sentence written on the paper in dear Lucy's hand. "Love her as I loved her, and you both will find peace. Forever Yours, Lucy." As I read the letter, I held back tears, '_She didn't send Charlotte to Narnia to deliver news among other things, but to save me. To save me from depression, and to help me cope._' Right then and there, I rolled over and embraced Charlotte. I didn't know if she was asleep or not, and I didn't care. She looked asleep but she smiled like she knew what was happening.

Author's Note: I hope that you all love the story! I know that the first chapter confused some of you. So I want to reiterate, this story is solely based on the LWW movie that came out last year. Please read and review if you get a chance.


	3. Some Flirting, Dinner, and Surprises

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Narnia or any of its characters, C.S. Lewis does. I do not own the song 'A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes', the Walt Disney Company does. The only thing in this story that I own is Charlotte and her parents.

Charlotte's POV

I knew exactly what was happening, for I had been secretly watching him out of the corner of my eye. He had read his letter from Grandma Lu and then turned over and embraced me. I kept still for a few seconds and then hugged him back. He seemed so happy; Grandma Lu was right. So when the hug ended, I quickly kissed him on the cheek. The sweet faun's face turned a light shade of red and sat straight up in the bed. Tumnus looked shocked at what I had just done. Then he glanced outside and got up.

"Are you hungry, Charlotte?" he inquired, with that worried tone back in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess I am. Why don't you go and fix dinner while I make up the bed?"

"O-O-Okay. Are you sure that you're up to it?"

"Yes, I need to get up anyway. Besides, it isn't fair for you to do everything."

"All right. If you insist."

"Thank you, Tumnus. I'll join you in a moment." The faun left and I began to feel slightly ashamed for kissing him. I shouldn't have done it, at least not yet. I was sure that Tumnus liked me, even if it was only because I was the granddaughter of his dearest friend in the world. '_Could it be?_' I wondered. ' _Do I actually have feelings for Tumnus?_' By the time I had made this discovery, the bed was made and I was sitting at the end of it. Then Tumnus reappeared, saying that dinner would be ready soon.

"Thank you, Tumnus. Thank you for everything." I replied, while attempting to stand.

"You're welcome. Do you need any help?"

"I don't know. Give me a minute." I told him right before I tripped and nearly fell to the floor. Nearly fell. Tumnus caught me in his big, strong arms right before I hit the floor and lifted my entire body up. I could get used to this.

"You know, Tumnus, I could've managed to get to this chair all by myself." I teased as he gently set me down in a comfortable chair. I watched him as he dragged an ottoman over to set under my feet.

"No, Charlotte, you couldn't." He seemed a little miffed about what I had just said. I didn't push the subject anymore.

"Well, I think that after dinner I should be heading home. I feel like I've overstayed my welcome."

"No, you won't, not with that ankle. Lucy wouldn't allow it, and neither will I."

"All right." I secretly wanted to stay but I couldn't let him know that. "I just love your cave. It's so cozy."

"I think it's a little small, even if it is just me."

"Well, it's a lot better than the big, empty house that Grandma Lu left me. She told me a lot about Narnia when I was growing up, and a lot about you."

"Really, now? Just what did she tell you?"

"Well, my bedtime stories were usually about Narnia. So I basically know about everything she did here."

"Interesting."

"Yeah. I loved those stories. They were there when I needed something to believe in." it was then I first noticed his eyes. He had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. His eyes were chestnut, a deep chestnut brown, with flecks of yellow from the light of the fire.

"Why do want to leave Narnia, Charlotte?" he asked, while giving me a serious stare.

"Well…ummm…I don't want to go home. I just don't want to be a burden on you."

"You could never be a burden," he quietly uttered as he rose to get the food. "At least never to me."

"Thank you. So, I guess I'm staying. However, I do need to discuss the sleeping arrangements."

"Yes, that issue has been pressing on my mind as well."

"I think that we are two responsible adults who can be trusted, but it's your home. You will have the final say."

"Thank you, but seeing how we seem to be in tight conditions, I will sleep on the floor." I began to pout because I rather enjoyed having Tumnus around me at all times, but his decision was final.

"I wish you'd reconsider"

"Maybe after a few days, when we know each other better." I think he could tell that I wanted him near me, if only for the warmth that he provided.

"Well, okay, but if it gets too cold, you're welcome to come in there. I just want you to know that." By the time we had settled the issue about the sleeping arrangements, dinner was ready. Tumnus didn't eat much, he just watched me eat. I guess that's because he's used to only cooking for one. "Aren't you hungry, Tumnus?"

"No, I guess not."

"Well, how about some music then?" I said, hoping to lighten the mood.

"I don't feel like playing my flute tonight, if you don't mind." I did mind, because Grandma Lu said that he played the most beautiful music. So, in order to cut the tension, I said something I shouldn't have.

"Well, how about if I sing?" I was shocked to hear those words come out of my mouth. I hadn't sung in front of people since Uncle Peter's funeral. However, if it would cheer Tumnus up, I would sing my heart out.

"You'll really sing for me? I've never heard any music from Spare 'Oom. Lucy never brought any with her." The idea of hearing me sing brought some of the sparkle into his beautiful chestnut eyes.

"Of course I will. I would do anything to put the sparkle back into your eyes." I truly meant what I had just said. I had been given a chance to supply Tumnus with some hope, and I wasn't going to pass it up. "I'll sing, but you have to promise not to laugh at me because I haven't sung in front of other people in a very long time."

"I promise with all my heart."

"Ok, here goes nothing. '_A dream is a wish your heart makes/ when you're fast asleep/ In dreams you can lose your heartaches/ Whatever you wish for you keep/ Have faith in your dreams and someday/ Your rainbow will come shining through/ No matter how your heart is grieving/ if you keep on believing/ The dream that you wish will come true._'" After I finished singing, I glanced down at Tumnus because I had been focusing on a spot on the wall above his head. Thankfully, he was smiling. "You really liked it?"

"Liked it? I loved it! It was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard, and I thank you for being brave enough to share it with me." After saying that, Tumnus got up and walked over towards the chair I was sitting in. "I'm going to go turn down the bed and then I'll be back for you."

"All right, Tumnus. Thank you again for all your kindness. I greatly appreciate it."

"You've given me an incredibly wonderful gift today. Just think of it as returning the favor."

"What gift was that?"

"Companionship." He then went to turn down the bed leaving me alone with my thoughts. '_Why am I pushing him to be with me? He's probably feeling uncomfortable right now. I'm not going to mention the sleeping arrangements again. At least not until he does_.' I smirked then because I truly wasn't alone anymore. Then Tumnus came to take me to bed.

"I think I can manage. I can do it, really."

"I'm not taking anymore chances with you after what happened last time." I loved it when he took charge of my situation. He really was looking out for my best interests.

"All right, Tumnus, you win." I pouted as he lifted me out of the chair. It was heaven, being in his arms. We reached the bed all too soon. As he gently laid my body down, I asked him a question. "Do you want to know what Lucy told me about you?"

"Why yes, I do. I'm very interested to know just exactly what she knew about me." He seemed intrigued as he sat down next to me.

"Well, she said that you have chestnut-colored eyes, curly brown hair, brown fur, that you wear a red scarf, and that you carry an umbrella."

"That sounds about right," he said while looking himself over.

"But, she didn't tell me how handsome you are."

"Y-Y-You really think I'm h-h-handsome?"

"Yes, I do. Grandma Lu also told me that you're shy and that you get nervous very easily."

"I guess that's true," he sheepishly replied.

"Uncle Edmund also told me about your bravery and loyalty to your friends and country. He told me what happened when the White Witch captured you. That story made me so sad for you. It was like I felt the pain of every blow you received." That's when I noticed the scar on his left side, the side closest to me. "Did she do that to you?" I asked, while fingering the scar.

"Yes, she did. That's not important, though. She's gone now, and she will never return." He said this without looking at me. He just stared straight ahead, as if he was remembering days gone by.

"Grandma also told me that you tried to live up to your father's expectations of you. I know that you look like your father, but that is the only way you are like him." I stopped and watched him for a minute. He was still staring off into space. "At least you had a father," I said bluntly, causing Tumnus to turn and suddenly give me a hug. When I looked up at his face, I saw tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh now, wait a minute," I calmly told him as I reached over to the side table, where I had placed the handkerchief earlier. "You'd better be careful. I'm afraid that if you keep this up, you're going to get sick. Come here." I had put a pillow in my lap and Tumnus laid his head there. "Here, you need this more than I do," I told him as I handed him the handkerchief. I didn't know if he was crying for himself or for me, but I comforted him all the same. I began to scratch his head and that seemed to calm him down. He even started saying things like "that feels good", "a little to the left", and "that's the spot". It must have felt pretty good. '_Poor thing, Grandma Lu also had said that he was very sensitive._' I guess that I remembered my grandmother's words a little too late. Tumnus then sat up and looked me straight in the eye.

"I'm sorry about your father," he said. At least that's what I thought I had heard amongst the sniffles and hiccups.

"Don't be, because I never have met him. I've seen pictures and I know his name, but that's all I do know about him." In saying this, I hoped that it would make Tumnus feel a little better. It had the opposite effect, causing more tears. "Don't feel sorry for me. Uncle Peter and Uncle Edmund were close enough to me that I considered them both fathers to me." That cheered Tumnus up a little bit and he stopped crying. "That's better. I was worried about you there for a minute."

"Why would you worry about me?" Tumnus said, while drying his cheeks. It seemed like he was going to keep staring me down until I gave him an answer.

"Well, I worry because I care about you. Why do you worry about me?"

"The same reason you worry about me." The conversation then turned to tomorrow's activities. "I'm going to introduce you to some of me other friends tomorrow, that is, if you feel up to it."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful, but could we stop by the lamppost tomorrow morning? I want to stop by War Drobe and get something nice to wear."

"Don't worry about that. You'll look beautiful in anything." I really hoped that he had meant that compliment. "For now, dear Charlotte, I bid you good night. There are dishes that need to be done and you need to get some rest." That sparkle was returning to his eyes. He got up to leave.

"I guess that this is goodnight, then. Good night, Tumnus, and remember what I said."

"Good night, sweet Charlotte, and sleep well. Trust me, I won't forget what you said." Then he did something completely unexpected. He bent down and kissed me on my cheek, his beard tickling me the whole time. After it was over, I just blushed and smiled as he left the room.


	4. Dreams Can Come True

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Narnia or any of its inhabitants, and I don't own the Pevensie children either. The only characters in this story that I own are Charlotte and her parents.

Tumnus's POV

After I kissed her cheek, I quickly left the room. '_What am I doing? She could never love a faun like me. I must be out of my mind! She's so beautiful, sweet, kind, and talented! I've never heard a voice that even compared to hers! But why bother chasing after something that I can never have? Well, she did say that she cares for me. Maybe she will someday love me as I love her. I loved her from the moment I found her by the lamppost. I looked at her face as those angelic eyes closed and I wanted her._' These were the thoughts that ran through my head as I collected and washed the dishes. After I put the dishes away, I checked on Charlotte. She looked so peaceful, but then I saw that she was shivering. I had to get her warm, fast, and the blankets weren't helping. That's when I remembered the offer she had made. So I did what I thought was best. I climbed in the bed next to Charlotte and pulled her shivering body close to mine. I put my arm around her waist and set my hand on her stomach just as she had done earlier. Then I received some reassurance that my actions when took my hand and held ever so close to her. I then thought I saw a smile form across her face, but it might've been my imagination. That's when I fell asleep. My dreams that night, for the first time in 10 years, were not about Lucy, but about Charlotte. _In my dream, we were walking through the woods and it was springtime. She was wearing a green dress, which complimented her reddish-brown hair. It was starting to rain, so I opened my umbrella and we huddled under it. I put my arm around her shoulders and she flashed me one of her dazzling smiles. She snuck her arm back around my waist while I took advantage of the moment and kissed her cheek. She laughed as we continued walking. After a few minutes of walking, talking, and planting kisses on each other's cheeks, we came to a rather large puddle. Charlotte started looking for a way for us to get around. It didn't seem so deep, so I handed her the umbrella and swept her up in my arms. I carried her while I walked through the puddle and a little further on before setting her back on the ground. The rain had stopped, but I kept the umbrella open to keep the sunlight out of Charlotte's eyes. She began to spin the umbrella around and turned to face me. Then I felt her lips touch mine. I leaned down to give her better access to my lips_. It was pure magic, and then I woke up. I could still feel the tingling in my lips from her sweet, gentle kiss. I looked over to find her still fast asleep, but still holding my hand. I managed to release my hand and then got up to greet the day. '_She probably is tired of wearing the same clothes. Maybe I should walk her back to War Drobe_.' So I decided that Charlotte should get herself some clean clothes from Spare 'Oom. I was folding all of the scarves that Lucy had made me when I had an epiphany. '_What if I were to go and get some of Lucy's dresses from Cair Paravel? Charlotte would be pleased that she needn't have to go home, and Cair Paravel isn't that far from here. That's exactly what I'll do._' I found some paper and wrote Charlotte a quick note. As I placed it on the side table, I heard Charlotte sigh. I smiled, picked up the empty box and my umbrella, and went out the door. It wasn't snowing, so I didn't bother opening the umbrella. I had always enjoyed the solitude that the woods offered, but now it seemed that solitude just wasn't enough anymore. I came to Cair Paravel sooner than I thought, and I saw the sun peeking up over the ocean. The castle had been deserted ever since the four royals had left Narnia. I set my umbrella by the front entrance and hurried up to Lucy's bedchamber. Upon entering the room, memories flooded my mind. Afternoon teas by the fire, rides and walks over all of Narnia, and deep conversations about every little thing. I put Lucy's three everyday dresses, 2 pairs of boots, and her hairbrush and comb set from the vanity and set all of the items gently in the box. I then left the castle and hurried home to tend to Charlotte. As I closed my front door, I heard Charlotte getting out of bed. I began walking towards her at a quickened pace, hoping to get to her before she caused further injury to herself.

"Here, let me help you."

"No, Tumnus, my ankle is feeling much better today. It doesn't even hurt when I move it." I didn't believe her, and she knew I didn't. "Trust me, Tumnus. You won't always be around to catch me when I fall."

"Okay, Charlotte." Her last words seemed to hang in the room for a minute. I just stood there and watched her walk across the room into my open arms.

"See, I told you I could do it." She stood there, with her arms around my waist, giving me an 'I told you so' look.

"I can't believe it. You just walked across the room." I knew that she was waiting for me to hug her back, so I just put my arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. We stood there for a while, with her head on my shoulder and my head resting on hers.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. It's just that I haven't met someone I could depend on in a long time. I've had to learn how to be independent."

"It's all right. I'm not mad." I kissed her forehead to prove that I wasn't mad. "I brought you something. I didn't feel like you should have to go all the way back to War Drobe just to get clothes to meet the Beavers in. so I went to Cair Paravel and got some of Lucy's dresses." As I lifted a blue dress from the box, I saw Charlotte's eyes widen.

"Oh, Tumnus, it's beautiful! It's just what I need. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Then, without warning, Charlotte threw her arms around my neck and landed a passionate kiss in the same place she had in my dream. After figuring out what she was doing, I really began to enjoy the moment. So much so that I threw the dress on a chair and lifted Charlotte off the ground. A few seconds of pure bliss later, Charlotte pulled away and I gently set her down. "I'm sorry, Tumnus. That kiss was meant for your cheek, but I guess my aim was a little off. I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable or obligated about doing anything, such as kissing me back." Then she grabbed the dress and went to change. '_She didn't even get the boots or brushes, but she did seem awfully embarrassed. Maybe I should talk to her about it._' Just then Charlotte came out of the room, got a pair of the boots and the brushes, and headed back toward the bedroom. I followed her, but she shut the door before I could stop her. So I politely knocked.

"Charlotte?" I thought that I heard the sound of someone crying on the other side of the door.

"Yes, Tumnus?" her voice cracked as she uttered those few simple words.

"May I come in?"  
"Just a moment." I heard her rushing around for what seemed like an eternity, but couldn't have been more than a few minutes. I had been leaning against the door and almost fell on top of Charlotte when she opened it. "Come in."

"Are you all right? I thought that I heard you crying." I glanced at her face and noticed that her eyes were puffy.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Yes, couldn't be better."

"Well, do you need anything? Because if you don't, I need to finish getting ready." She seemed anxious to be rid of me, so I decided not to press the matter any further.

"That's all I needed. I'm going to go make breakfast now." As I turned to leave, she didn't stop me like before. I paused for a moment, waiting to see if she would. I looked back and she seemed preoccupied with getting her boots on, so I left.


End file.
